National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships
HAP Partnership Impact
VA partnership with the ALS Association will add to services available for Veterans diagnosed with the disease
A partnership between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the ALS Association will help improve the quality of life of Veterans diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It weakens muscles and impacts physical function. According to the ALS Association, U.S. military Veterans appear to have an increased risk of developing ALS; according to VA, those who have served in the military are approximately twice as likely to develop ALS as those who have not served. The ALS Association has worked with Congress to increase funding for ALS research including determining why Veterans can be at greater risk. The Association’s mission is to discover treatments and a cure for ALS, and to advocate for those diagnosed with the disease.
This partnership will add to what VA offers Veterans diagnosed with ALS. VA and the ALS Association will work together to increase the number of VHA ALS clinics designated as “Certified Treatment Centers of Excellence” and “Recognized Treatment Centers.” The partners will also work to spread awareness of ALS Association chapters; will educate VHA staff on best practices for ALS care; will create ALS education materials for Veterans; and will provide Veterans and VHA staff more opportunities to become involved in their communities and advocate for those affected by ALS.
VA has recognized ALS as a service-connected disease, and so the department provides financial and medical support to Veterans who have at least 90 continuous days of active duty. VA also raises awareness of ALS through information about ALS Disease Awareness Month in May. This partnership will combine VA’s resources and knowledge with those of the ALS Association; together the partners will bring more services to Veterans with ALS.
Georgeanna Bady, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships (HAP) health systems specialist, spoke to the importance of this partnership.
“VA is invested in helping Veterans diagnosed with ALS, which it recognizes as a service-connected disease, and we know that this partnership with the ALS Association will increase access to ALS resources for many Veterans, whether or not they are enrolled in VHA health care,” Ms. Bady said. “Partnerships like this one target the exact communities who need partnership resources. Since those who have served in the military are more likely to develop ALS, we have to address that issue.”
“The ALS Association is committed to helping all Veterans living with ALS and their loved ones, and we are grateful to VA for their partnership in helping serve them,” said Dr. Neil Thakur, chief mission officer of the ALS Association. “Access to multidisciplinary care helps people living with ALS live longer. Through this partnership, we can increase the number of VHA clinics designated as Certified Treatment Centers of Excellence, which will directly impact the lives of Veterans living with ALS and their loved ones.”
VA brings Veterans many resources and helpful services for health care conditions, and partners with nongovernmental organizations to add to those resources and services. Within VA, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) HAP (formerly the Office of Community Engagement) supports such partnerships.
For more information on HAP partnerships, please visit va.gov/healthpartnerships.
External Link Disclaimer: This page contains links that will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites.
Posted August 19, 2021
